SHARe II: Leadership, Partnership & Workplace HIV/AIDS Project

The Support to the HIV/AIDS Response in Zambia (SHARe II) is funded by USAID and is implemented by JSI, in partnership with the with the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council, ZHECT, cooperating partners and other stakeholders to support efforts to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS in Zambia. The project is aimed at strengthening leadership, building local capacity, and improving the policy environment as well as supporting the institutional response to HIV and AIDS.

Objectives of the Project

• Strengthen and expand leadership involvement in HIV&AIDS and improve the policy and regulatory environment;

• Strengthen organisational and technical capacity of coordinating structures to sustain the HIV response;

• Strengthen and expand HIV/AIDS workplace programs;

• Ensure the collaboration and coordination of HIV&AIDS activities with the GRZ, U.S Government-funded partners, and other stakeholders.

ZHECT’s role is to strengthen and expand HIV/AIDS workplace programs within partner organisations and this is currently being implemented in 3 provinces namely, North-Western, Copperbelt, Northern and Lusaka. The workplace HIV/AIDS programme is addressing key drivers of the epidemic in Zambia as outlined in the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Strategy, namely;Multiple Concurrent Partnerships,Low up-take of CT services, Low and inconsistent use of condoms, Low levels of male circumcision and better targeting of vulnerable groups such as Women and the affluent. ZHECT is providing a minimum package of HIV/AIDS services that include:

• Training of Peer Educators and Psycho-social Counselors
• HIV/AIDS Policy Formulation and Review
• Empowerment with knowledge through HIV/AIDS education and Information Dissemination
• HIV Counselling & Testing (CT/VCT)
• Creation of Linkages and Referrals for Continuum of Care
• Monitoring & Evaluation and Conducting Research Studies namely HIV Prevalence and KAP Surveys that will be used for Programming
• Innovatively reach out to Affluent/Senior Manager HIV/AIDS messages

In implementing the above, ZHECT will contribute to the improvement of the health status and general wellness of employers, employees and their spouses/partners and workplace surrounding communities. This will be done through training of various cadres including Behaviour Change Promoters such as Peer Educators and Lay Counselors who in-turn will share information with co-workers, family and church members and members of surrounding communities.